Problems · by component

1997 Ford Expedition vehicle speed control problems

78 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Expedition cite vehicle speed control, 9% of all 868 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
78
9% of all complaints
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
27
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WHEN EXAMINING MY VEHICLE WHICH SUPPOSEDLY HAD A RECALL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SENSOR ON BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, FOUND THAT FORD ONLY ADDED A FUSABLE LINK TO PREVENT FIRE AS THE SENSOR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LEAKING AT THE TIME. IT HAS SINCE LEAKED AND THE ADDED BIT OF WIRE WITH THE BLUE TAG HAS BLOWN IT'S FUSES BUT I BELIEVE THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS NOW DISABLED MY HORN DURRING OPERATION. I AM REQUESTING MY VEHICLE BE SERVICED PROPERLY AS THE RECALL WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY TO MY UNDERSTANDING. I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND JUST REALIZED THIS SO I LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE AND SAW IT IS THE OLD DESIGN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2020Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 11325759
“I KNOW FOR A FACT THERE WAS A MASSIVE RECALL ON THE MODEL. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS AND CATCHES ON FIRE WHEN THE KEY IS NOT IN THE IGNITION. MOST OF THE F-150 ENGINE FIRES WERE TRACED BACK TO A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLES USUALLY BURNED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS 160-180,000 MILES ON THE SPEEDOMETER. MY 2000 FORD EXPEDITION BURNED CAUGHT MY HOME ON FIRE AND NEARLY KILLED THREE PEOPLE AND SEVERAL PETS. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION BELONGS TO A GOOD FRIEND. THEY MENTIONED IN PASSING THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS THAT MY EXPEDITION DID JUST BEFORE IT CAUGHT FIRE. I UNPLUGGED MY FRIENDS EXPEDITION CRUISE CONTROL. I AM SHOCKED THIS VEHICLE IS NO LONGER ON THE RECALL LIST. IF THIS VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED DURING THE RECALL IT WOULD NOT BE MALFUNCTIONING NOW.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 20, 2017Vehicle speed controlODI 11006506
“ON 03/05/2012, MY FORD EXPEDITION EXEMPLIFIED SUDDEN ACCELERATION UPON IGNITION. THE TRUCK STARTED AND, IMMEDIATELY, ACCELERATED WITH EXTREME RPM. THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN THE PARKED GEAR BUT THE TRUCK GUNNED FORWARD EXPLOSIVELY. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB AT THE END OF MY SHIFT. THE TRUCK ROCKETED FORWARD ABOUT 60 FEET THEN COLLIDED WITH A BRICK, SIX FEET HIGH RETAINING WALL. THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE EXPEDITION WAS ABOUT FOUR FEET FROM A GROUND-LEVEL POWER TRANSFORMER. THE RETAINING WALL WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSFORMER. I'VE SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED. THE TRUCK SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT FRONT END AND UNDER CARRIAGE DAMAGE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 6, 2012Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10450453
“1997 FORD EXPEDITION SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED IN TARGET PARKING LOT ABOUT 2 HRS AFTER THE DRIVER PARKED IT THERE AND WENT IN TO WORK. THE AFT AREA OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATING AREA AND MOST OF THE BACK SEATS WERE MELTED AND BURNED. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY DENVER FIRE DEPT. SOUNDS MUCH LIKE MANY INTERNET REPORTED ISSUES WITH "FORD EXPEDITION CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH FIRES". *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 6, 2011Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10410630
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE IT. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UP TO 80 MPH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 176,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,668.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2010Vehicle speed controlODI 10303584
“CAR BURNED DOWN AT 2:15 AM IN GARAGE BECAUSE OF CRUISE CONTROL ON 21 MARCH 2007 AND SET CAR NEXT TO IT LINCOLN TOWN CAR AND GARAGE AND ROOMS ABOVE ON FIRE, DAMAGE ROUGHLY 380,000.-$, RECALLS ONLY WAS OFFICIAL IN AUG 2007 SINCE CNN REPORT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2008Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10242097

Showing 6 of 78 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Vehicle speed controlReported Sep 7, 2005NHTSA 05V388000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.